Storm updates: Water rescues, closures, weather forecast for SLO County

San Luis Creek roars through downtown SLO

Spectators gathered to watch as San Luis Creek roars near Mission Plaza in downtown San Luis Obispo as a major March rainstorm forced water levels up on Thursday, March 22, 2018.

By

Up Next

Spectators gathered to watch as San Luis Creek roars near Mission Plaza in downtown San Luis Obispo as a major March rainstorm forced water levels up on Thursday, March 22, 2018.

By

Update: 7:40 p.m.

Though this storm has caused flooding, car crashes, road closures and multiple swift-water rescues, it also brought SLO County up to 61 percent of normal rainfall, according to PG&E meteorologist John Lindsey.

"At the end of February, beginning of March we were essentially 30 percent of normal," Lindsey said. "This is a big improvement."

Lindsey said the rainfall is coming "to an abrupt end" about 8 p.m. Thursday.

Sign Up and Save

Friday will see strong- to gale-force northwesterly winds and dry weather, but there will be areas of dense ground fog and mist, especially in the inland valleys, due to all the moisture left over from the storm, Lindsey said.

See a CHP helicopter rescue a man and dog from a raging Salinas River in Paso Robles on Thursday, March 22, 2018, and hear from an eyewitness who saw a tent floating downstream with another person in it. 10 people total were rescued.

By

Update: 1:10 p.m.

Video from the Halcon Road crossing in Atascadero where the Salinas River has washed out a section of the road:

Rain is expected to continue through most Thursday but will start to taper off about 4 p.m., according to PG&E meteorologist John Lindsey. A break in the rain is expected Friday, and showers will continue on Saturday and Sunday.

Emergency crews were performing a swift water rescue on Thursday, March 22, 2018, involving multiple people in the Salinas River near the Niblick Street and 13th Street bridges in Paso Robles.

By

Update: 10:10 a.m.

With rain continuing to fall, more slides have closed Highway 1 at two locations between Ragged Point and Paul’s Slide, Caltrans said Thursday morning. On Thursday, the road was closed from Nacimiento-Ferguson Road to Paul’s Slide, as a result of rocks in the roadway, Susana Cruz of Caltrans wrote in a press release.

Read Next

The National Weather Service extended a flood advisory that was in effect until 9:15 a.m. Tuesday. Just before 6 a.m., the NWS said rainfall rates in San Luis Obispo County were between 0.25 and 0.50 inches per hour.

"With these rainfall rates, flooding of roadways as well as small streams will continue," the NWS said. A separate flash flood watch remains in effect for all of San Luis Obispo County until 5 p.m. Thursday.

Read Next

Sara Arnett, who lives at the end of Toro Creek Road in Atascadero, woke up at about 4 a.m. when she heard a roaring sound.

When she walked outside, she saw that the creek had risen up to about midway on the back tires of her truck.

"The creek was so high that it actually trapped me back here," she wrote in a Facebook message. Arnett said her husband was out of town for work during the storm and described the fear she felt as she tried to stay calm for her toddler and think of the best plan. She spoke with an Atascadero police officer who advised her to stay alert and leave only if necessary.

"This morning was absolutely terrifying," she said. "We haven't lived out here very long and this is our first rainy season on this property."

She packed a backpack with necessities including food, water, a walkie talkie and rain gear and dressed to leave if necessary. Fortunately, the water receded, though Arnett said they lost 14 chicks that were in a barn during the storm.

"I couldn't believe the debris it left behind ... I had NO idea that tiny creek could get so high, so quickly," she wrote. "If anything, this has taught me that you can never be too prepared."

In Cambria, water pooled in the Pinedorado Grounds next to the Vets Hall on Main Street, in the Shell station and on Sheffield Drive.

The Shell station in the West Village is part of a stretch of Main Street that turned into a river during the flood of 1995.

Some Cambria property owners reported having flooding issues outside and water levels rose as flows increased on Santa Rosa and San Simeon creeks.

Michele Oksen, who lives in the Santa Lucia Mountains, wrote Thursday morning on Facebook: "Someone ran over heaven's hydrant! 11 inches and still raining hard ..."

Unlike some storms, the heavy rains weren't accompanied by much wind in Cambria, and the Cambria Fire Department reported that they hadn't received any storm-related calls by midday.

Cal Fire said they conducted a swift water rescue just before 7 a.m. in the area of Highway 58 off of Highway 101. According to Cal Fire, there was a vehicle accident into a creek crossing and a man was rescued from a tree in about 2 feet of moving water, according to spokesman Chris Elms. Additional information was not immediately available.

Units at scene of a successful swiftwater rescue, a man rescued from a tree after a vehicle accident into a creek crossing

Farther south, in Santa Barbara County, the county's Office of Emergency Management sent out a message at about 5:20 a.m. that read "the storm is setting up as predicted." The agency said to expect "heavy rain and debris flows in and below the Santa Barbara County burn areas."

Flooding in creeks, streams and lowland areas is possible countywide, the agency said.

Local PG&E meteorologist John Lindsey said Wednesday afternoon that there is a chance of thunderstorms into Thursday, with strong to gale-force (25 to 38 mph) northwesterly winds. Heavy rain is expected to continue through the morning, but by 4 p.m. Thursday, the rain is expected to taper off.

A break in the rain is expected Friday and showers are forecast for Saturday and Sunday, Lindsey said.